La Trappe Tripel 750ML

La Trappe Tripel 750ML is an 8.0% ABV bottle-conditioned Trappist tripel brewed at the Koningshoeven Abbey in the Netherlands. Winner of the Beste Bier van Nederland Trophy in 2019 and a European Beer Star Gold Medal in 2018, this is one of the most decorated Dutch abbey ales available today.
Quick Facts: ABV: 8.0%  |  Origin: Berkel-Enschot, Netherlands  |  Style: Trappist Tripel  |  Brewery: Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven
Production & Heritage
Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven has been brewing within the walls of the Cistercian Abbey of Onze Lieve Vrouw van Koningshoeven since 1884, making it one of a handful of breweries worldwide authorized to carry the “Authentic Trappist Product” logo. La Trappe Tripel is brewed with water drawn from 200-meter-deep wells on the abbey grounds, using a grain bill of Pale, Caramel, and Munich malts balanced by Hallertau Northern Brewer, Slovenian Super Steirer, and Tettnang Tettnanger hops. The beer undergoes bottle conditioning, allowing a secondary fermentation in the 750ml bottle that contributes to its complexity and signature lively carbonation.
Tasting Notes
Aroma: The nose opens with ripe fruit and a gentle spice character, followed by a pronounced hop presence. A light malty sweetness underpins everything, giving the aroma a warm, inviting quality.
Taste: The entry is candy-sweet and light-malty, quickly giving way to a spicy mid-palate where the hops assert themselves with a clean, measured bitterness. The body is full and powerful for a tripel, with a refreshing quality that keeps the sweetness from becoming cloying.
Finish: The finish is moderately long, turning bitter and slightly dry as the malt sweetness recedes. Lingering spice and a faint warmth from the 8.0% ABV close things out.
How to Drink La Trappe Tripel
Serve at 8–12°C (46–54°F) in a chalice or goblet to concentrate the aromatic complexity; pour slowly and leave a small amount in the bottle to control the sediment from bottle conditioning. A Belgian Tripel Shandy combines the ale with lemon juice and a touch of honey for a refreshing warm-weather drink. A Tripel Spritz mixes a portion of the ale with sparkling water and a citrus twist for a lower-ABV session serve. For a more adventurous pairing, use it in a Beer Mimosa alongside fresh-squeezed orange juice, where the Tripel’s fruit and spice notes mirror and amplify the citrus.
Best For
Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who appreciates Trappist brewing heritage
Pairing with a holiday cheese board or dinner party
Adding depth to a curated Belgian and Trappist tasting flight
Cellaring for one to three years to develop richer malt complexity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does La Trappe Tripel taste like? La Trappe Tripel delivers a candy-sweet, light-malty body balanced by noticeable spice, fruit, and a clean hop bitterness that finishes slightly dry.
How does La Trappe Tripel compare to Westmalle Tripel? Both are authentic Trappist tripels with strikingly similar profiles—fruity, spicy, and bottle-conditioned—though La Trappe leans slightly sweeter on the entry while Westmalle tends toward a drier, more herbal character. Westmalle is Belgian-brewed and often cited as the archetype of the style, while La Trappe is the sole Dutch Trappist brewery.
Is La Trappe Tripel good for sipping on its own? Absolutely—its full body, layered aromatics, and bottle-conditioned complexity make it a rewarding pour to enjoy slowly from a proper chalice at cellar temperature.
Where is La Trappe Tripel made? La Trappe Tripel is brewed at Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven inside the Cistercian Abbey of Onze Lieve Vrouw van Koningshoeven in Berkel-Enschot, near Tilburg in the southern Netherlands.
What foods pair well with La Trappe Tripel? Aged Gouda or Gruyère complement the malty sweetness; roasted chicken with herbs echoes the spice notes; mussels in white wine sauce balance the body with brininess; apple tart mirrors the fruity aromatics; and charcuterie with mustard plays off the hop bitterness.
What sizes does La Trappe Tripel come in? The standard format is the 750ml bottle, which is the classic size for bottle-conditioned Trappist ales and allows a full, ceremonial pour for two.
Is La Trappe Tripel worth the price? La Trappe Tripel positions as a mid-premium Trappist ale, and given its Authentic Trappist Product certification, multiple gold medals, and meticulous bottle-conditioned production, it represents strong value within the broader Trappist category.
Why La Trappe Tripel?
Only fourteen breweries in the world currently hold the Authentic Trappist Product designation, and De Koningshoeven is the only one in the Netherlands. The use of water from the abbey’s own 200-meter-deep wells gives this Tripel a mineral foundation that distinguishes it from its Belgian peers. A sweep of gold medals in 2018 and 2019—including the Beste Bier van Nederland Trophy, European Beer Star Gold, and Meininger’s Craft Beer Award Gold—confirms that this is not simply a heritage curiosity but a genuinely top-tier tripel competing at the highest level. For anyone building a serious Trappist collection or simply looking for a complex, full-bodied ale with real provenance, La Trappe Tripel earns its place.